The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has held a ceremony to launch the Institute

for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA) as a UNESCO Category II

Centre of Excellence for West Africa.

Present to launch the IEPA as a UNESCO Category II Centre of Excellence was

the Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, Hon. Dr. Yaw

Osei Adutwum.

Hon. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum indicated that although a lot had been done in the

last four years to develop the educational system, much was still needed to create a

robust system that would stand the test of time.

He said, “In the fourth industrial revolution, education is everything. You do your

education well and your nation transforms. If you lag behind in education, you

disappear from the competition.” He also noted that the educational sector had to

begin to look at how the humanities would be enhanced, not for recall of

knowledge, but for creativity for the children in schools today.

Addressing the University as a citadel of education in the country and a place

where learning thrived, he called upon the support of UCC and the IEPA to help

forge ahead for a robust educational system that would transform the fortunes of

the country.

The Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong in his acceptance

remarks as the Chairperson of the ceremony, outlined the mandate of the IEPA. He

said, “The IEPA is mandated to build capacity of the workforce in the education

sector in the West African Sub-Region in the areas of Educational Planning,

Leadership, and Administration, as well as mobilize international and regional

experts to provide technical assistance and policy advice to support sector-wide

planning and policy development.” He pledged his support to see to the realisation

of IEPA’s mandate.

He indicated that the University of Cape Coast, being the first University in Ghana

to have its Institute elevated to a UNESCO Category II Status, owed it to itself to

guard such an enviable position religiously and deliver results for posterity.

Prof. Boampong expressed heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency Nana Addo

Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, and the Ministry of

Education for their support in the upgrade.

The Director-General of IEPA Dr. Michael Boakye-Yiadom on his part, expressed

gratitude to government, UNESCO and the University of Cape Coast and indicated

that the IEPA will use their collaborations to work towards the achievement of

SDG 4. “We are grateful to former and current governments of Ghana, former and

current leadership at the Ministry of Education, former and current Vice-

Chancellors and their Management Teams, and former Directors of IEPA for their

selfless contributions and support for IEPA. IEPA values the UCC, Ministry of

Education, and UNESCO affiliations and with our ‘building bridges-relationships

matter’ campaign, we are optimistic that together with strategic planning, we will

achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 4”, Prof. Boakye-Yiadom stated.

The UNESCO Ghana Country Representative, Mr. Abdourahamane Diallo,

explained that education was at the heart of the UNESCO mission to build peace,

eradicate poverty, and drive sustainable development. He pointed out that the

approval of the IEPA as a Centre has now made it a member of the global network

of 15 UNESCO Education Sector Category II Centres.

Also present at the ceremony was the Deputy Minister of Education, the Pro Vice-

Chancellor of UCC, the Registrar of UCC, the Director-General - Commission for

TVET, the Central Regional Director of Education, Deputy Director Generals of

IEPA, Provosts, Members of the IEPA Governing Board, IEPA Management,

Deans, Directors, Heads of Department, Staff, Alumni and current students of

IEPA, and the National President of the Ghana Association of University

Administrators (GAUA).